Individualized Education Program (IEP)
Individualized Education Program (IEP)
IEP (Individualized Education Program):
What is an IEP? -An Individualized Education Program (or plan) is set in place to ensure that a child with a disability who is attending an elementary or secondary educational institution receives specialized instruction and related services (Access Computing). A student's IEP is highly detailed and is the essential guideline to follow when understanding what the student needs in their curriculum (Special Ed News). Essentially, an IEP is a document that outlines the annual goals and services that will be provided to the student in order to ensure their success in school (Above and Beyond Caring, 2023).
Where did this term come from? -IEP was first introduced into the school system when the right of students with disabilities to attend public schools were legally recognized under the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA) in 1975 (Sobino, 2020). Before this act, many students with disabilities were not allowed to attend school at all. The Individuals with Educational Disabilities Act (IDEA) requires that all students with identified disabilities have an IEP (University of Kansas, 2021)
How do IEPs affect general education teachers? - When teaching a lesson, teachers must keep the IEP in mind in order to help the student become as successful as possible. Teachers must determine how they will collect and evaluate student progress toward educational goals. References:
Access Computing (n.d.). What is an individualized education plan? What is an Individualized Education Plan? | AccessComputing. https://www.washington.edu/accesscomputing/what-individualized-education-plan#:~:text=An%20Individualized%20Education%20Plan%20(or,specialized%20instruction%20and%20related%20services.
Sobino, L. (2020, October). EA Schools. Retrieved March 6, 2023, from https://easchools.org/2020/10/22/history-of-the-individualized-education-program-iep/#:~:text=IEP%20was%20first%20introduced%20into,to%20attend%20school%20at%20all.
SpecialEd News. (n.d.). The history of the IEP. SpecialEdNews. https://specialednews.com/the-history-of-the-iep/
University of Kansas. (2021, August 25). Advice for classroom teachers: Your students with IEPS. KU SOE. https://educationonline.ku.edu/community/advice-for-classroom-teachers#:~:text=Teachers%20must%20also%20keep%20the,or%20tune%20their%20practices%20accordingly.
Above and Beyond Caring. (2023, March 5). Special education ard meeting: What you need to know - texas HCS and day habilitation provider: Above & beyond caring. Texas HCS and Day Habilitation Provider | Above & Beyond Caring. https://abchcs.com/special-education-ard-meeting/#:~:text=a%20successful%20meeting.-,An%20ARD%20is%20a%20meeting%20that%20is%20held%20in%20order,ensure%20their%20success%20in%20school.